Is ‘tanim bala’ back? Woman stopped at NAIA for bullet in bag

The Office for Transportation Security (OTS) on Thursday allayed fears the tanim-bala (bullet planting) scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) returned after a bullet was allegedly found inside the luggage of a Thailand-bound Filipino couple.

Passenger Charity Imam posted a video of her experience on social media wherein NAIA security officers screened her luggage after a bullet enclosed inside a clear plastic bag was allegedly detected inside.

She denied the ammunition was hers and even presented the license of her firearm which was among her documents at the time of the incident. 

“Tanim bala is a thing of the past. We can always present all available data, pictures and video para mapasinungalingan namin yung sinasabi nila,” said OTC Officer-in-Charge Jose Briones said in Joseph Morong’s report on 24 Oras.

(Tanim bala is a thing of the past. We can always present all available data, pictures, and video to belie their claims.)

Briones said the bullet might have belonged to Charity as the airport uses an automated system to screen passengers’ luggage. 

“Kapag yung bag ay may suspicious item, ‘yung computer, ‘yung machine na mismo ang mag-separate ng bag nya and that baggage will be subjected to baggage inspection. That’s the only time na hahawakan yan ng baggage inspector natin,” said Briones. 

(When a luggage contains a suspicious item, the machine itself will separate it. That’s the only time our officers can conduct a physical baggage inspection.)

“Lumalabas sa atin, kasi nasa bag niya eh,” he said. 

(From our end, [the bullet] was inside her bag.)

Charity stood firm in disowning the prohibited item.

“Hindi. Kasi meron po kaming license at the same time sino’ng sira ulong gun owner ang magdadala sa loob ng airport na nakaplastic pa ‘yung bala, ano’ng gagawin ko duon?” she countered.

(No. We have a license and at the same time, what crazy gun owner would bring a bullet inside a plastic bag inside the airport? What am I going to do with it?)

She said the bullet is not even of the same caliber as the firearm she owns.

Charity added that prior to the incident, she noted something suspicious at NAIA. She said that while she was withdrawing money from one of the airport ATMs, there were people who were asking her questions and deliberately bumping into her.

After the incident with NAIA security, Charity decided to share the video on social media to serve as a warning to the public.

For its part and despite its supposed discovery, the OTS said it will not investigate the incident nor will it file charges against Charity and her husband who were allowed to proceed to their flight.

However, the OTS reminded the public not to bring prohibited items in the airport, especially in the coming Holy Week.

“Especially kung one or two pieces. Marami namang nagdadala nya sa paniniwalang ng iba na it is anting-anting. Daily, nakaka-encounter kami ng ganitong incident,” said Briones.

(We often encounter these types of incidents because some people believe bullets are amulets.)—Sundy Locus/RF, GMA Integrated News